The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-29
THE GRAND ENCAarParENr.
The Annual Address Of General Fairchild-
The Pension Question.

The Pension Question.
ST LOUIS. Sept. 28-Ths encampment opened
In due form in the entertainment hall Of the
exposition building. at $3.50 p. NJ, the oom-
mandsr-in-chisf, General Fairchild. presiding
The following committee on credentials was ap-
pointed: Adiutant-gsneral Gray, Thomas G.
Stewart, of Psnnsylvania; John H. Thascher,
Connsctcut Jas. E. Sswart, Ohio; E. Henry
jerks, Rhode Island
The annual address of the eommander-in-
chief which iGvery long. was then presented.
The General began by sending grsstings to the
people of the Pacific coast, for the hospitality
AID cordial reception Of last year. He sincsrely
congratulated the order that they were per
mitted to gather in this great metropolis and
thanked the citizens of ST. Louis for their gem
erous welcome. He was pleased to announces
the evidence or permanent and healthy growth
OF the Grand Army of the Republic and for
the strong love of the order entertained
by the 10y al people Of this country. That this
may contnna, he earnestly cautioned every
member that he keep a watchfui guard oyer
himself when he acts or speaks . member of
the u. a H.. and not unconscously further
schemes foreign to the legitimate purposes of the
organization Article O. forbidding the use Of
the organization for partisan purposes, had
Tar as ne knsw, been strictly obsyed in letter
and spirit From Adjutant-gsner Gray's re-
port he learned that the total number Of mem
bers borne on the rolls of the order at the last
pnmssr 40 wa. The
actual gain in five quarters, 46. Isl. The increase
of members 10 the ninety days ending June 30,
1887, in good standing, WAS Is, GIG In 1880 thers
were 60 ga members In the last fve quartsks
thereshava bsen mustered into the Grand Army
$3.50 Thers were reported June 30 1887 in
good standing, 1885, 762: suspended 25 900; by de-
linquent reports. 10 s92; total At last returns
borne uoon the rolls, 372. GA, an increase in
membership that must be gratifying to all MEM
March, 1886, to March, 1887, inclusive. $685.
9S443 This money was disaursed to l7.607
comrades and their families and &. 999 othera
were assisted, giving 26. COG individuals who had
received benefits during the year
he had established the provisional department
OF Idaho and appointed w. Fl. Nye. of Boise
City. Idaho, as provisional commander; also,
established the provisional department OF Ari
zona Comrade A. L. Grow, of Tombstone A.
T., provisional commander.
During the year death dad claimed 3, 406 mem
bers. He selacted for spccial notice John A
Logan, who in life had manifested his love nor
only in words bat by active public and private
efforts. Did any poor. manned heipless veteran
need an advocate. did the Grand Army ne ed q
defender, his the irst name that came to
the lips. and he was never appealed TO In vain.
The patent for the Grand Army badge has
been duly transferred. and is the property
of the order. The council of administration has
invested $4,000 Of tha surplus funds of the or
der in bonds Of the United States Memorial
day was more generally observed this year than
ever before. This day. sacred to the memory
of the fallen defenders of the Republic, has bs.
come a most impressive and instructive national
holiday.
A letter was received by him from Jos W.
Drexel, offering in perpetuity the cottage OF
Mount McGreror. in which Gen. u. s. Grant
spAnt his last days, to the survivors of those
gallant men who saved the country, the only
conditions being that the cottage and surround.
ing grounds bs held in sruat by tho commander
lr-chief of the Grand Army of tEs R4uublic. tho
president of the Mt McGregor Railway Com
pany, aud another, to DO named by the donor.
General Fairchd recommended that il be re-
ferrsd to the incoming commander-in-chief, with
authority TO accept on satisfactory arrange.
ments.
In September last. when the citizens of
Charleston. s. c., were suffering from the effects
of terrible earthquake, the Grand Army joined
in the relief. He, in company with Adjutans.
general Gray. went to the stricken city, and
called upon the comrades to raise money for
relief. Collections were rapidly made and
It was understood that there immediate
haste, and before the collections had gotteK
fairly under way the Mayor of Charleston tsleA
graphed headquarters that no further aid would
be required. Had the needs of Charleston
qured it, he felt assured that 500 900 could have
been raised within another month. Many posts
had simultaneously received the call for aid and
the order to suspend operations.
He recommended tho appoint msut at once Of
compsteut cemrade to write history OF tbs
organization, and suggested that tho general
government will include in the next decennial
, census enumeration of the soldiers of the late
war of the rebellion who may be living in 1890.
Believing that the practice Of moving the
national headquarters to the place where tha
commander-in- chief resides is becoming i'm
pFActlcaOte, 2cCumQi6ClOE
property of the order. he recommends that
national headquarters be located at some Gen.
trail point. and that assistant sdjutant-Ron-
eral be put in charge.
In the m after OF pensions 1t has been an aim
of the order to have Congress grant relief to the
pressing needs of the comrades. The govern.
nent has responded in many instances In
duencs has been brought to bear on State legis-
lation and State soldiers and orphans homes
and laws for temporary relief of INDECENT SOL
diers and their families, have been passed For
Army of the Republic lived-this more than all
else has ennobled it's life-for this purpose tne
Grand Army will in the future give its earnest
endeavors. and by reason of its persistent en-
deavors it will be remembered. The Grand
Army. with the approval OF the paopie in
general, have enlisted in this cause; mon of all
shades of political belief have been foremost
in these efforts, and never til this year has it
entered ths mind of any we'll informed man to
charge that this zeal IN behalf OF needy
comrades OF political. partisan character.
The Grand Army of the Rspublic will never
consent that this question Of pensions shall be
classed among those which men commonly call
partisan. 1t has been for many years discussed
by post, department. and national encam pments,
resolutions and addresses have been adopted and
published; petitions and appeals have often beer
sent TO Congress; the efforts OF the newspaper
OF the country have been enlisted. and
with few exceptions they have heretofore
been in full accord with the order. There hal
been no change of opinion or change af method
in the ranks of the Grand Army members,
They have been of one mind in considering il
but simple justice that the United States should
at least grant pension OF not less thsa $l2 pei
month TO all persons who served three months
more r the military or naval service of this
United States during tho war of the rebellion
and who have been honorably discharged there.
from. and who now, or who may nereaftsI
be. from mental or physical disability, mot the
result of their own vicious habits. which inca,
pacitates them for the performances Of
manual labor This has hesn publicly
advocated and all men who cared
to know have been fully aware of the action,
and yet until recently there has been heard no
objection to such measures.
Because others have changed their minds,
the Grand Army mead not therefore change
theirs. The path in this direction has been
straight. The order has divereed nsither TO the
right nor left. Because the comrades need help
the Grand Army will draw closer and closer to
them. They shall not be the inmates of ths
common paupor house, nor shall their widows
orphans, IL the Grand Army can prevent it.
is iada tha caneEal